11 Of The World's Coolest Offices

Offices have a reputation for being bland and boring. Cubicles, white walls, a water cooler where employees can gather to gossip – what else does a corporate space need? As it turns out, a lot. Many of the world's biggest companies are shunning old design stereotypes in favor of offices that are as fun as they are functional. While their choices of décor may seem bizarre, expensive, and even distracting, the reasoning behind the shift is as well thought-out as a Fortune 500 business model.

You see, businesses are directly impacted by the way their office space is designed. From employee retention to creativity, task performance to error rate, space matters. It's the same reason Don Draper gave his employees long lunches and lots of breaks – the human brain simply isn't wired to perform 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Some of our best ideas come to us while working out, chatting with a friend, or even dreaming. By providing employees with a comfortable, homey environment, as well as freedom over their workflow, companies have seen success, again and again.

Don't believe me? Check out this list of the world's 11 coolest (and most productive!) offices from around the world. Google, Facebook, Airbnb … they're companies you'll recognize as successful and fast-growing. After seeing what their workspace is like, you might even find yourself applying for a job!

1. Dropbox – San Francisco, California

Dropbox is an online solution for individuals and businesses to store files, photos, and more. With 500 million users worldwide and over a million files saved to their system each day, they are a powerhouse in their field.

In addition to a full gym, they also have a cafe with a world-renowned chef. Seems to me that they know how to live healthy and happy!

2. Airbnb – San Francisco, California

Airbnb has been revolutionizing the hospitality industry since 2008, by connecting individuals who want to rent out their own home or stay in someone else's. Travel is no longer limited to hotel and hostels, and for those who have some extra space, it's a great way to make additional income.

It was designed with lots of indoor and outdoor space. After all, the 12,000 employees need room to spread out.

And of course, there are many fun places for employees to mingle.

4. Nokia – Espoo, Finland

Nokia headquarters is located just outside of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. While you probably recognize the name Nokia from your pre-smart phone days, they've been in the technology business since 1865.

…. they want their employees to have fun! This arcade/ diner looks like a blast.

8. Google – Mountain View, California

Google has more than 70 offices in 40 countries worldwide, but Mountain View is home to headquarters. As they explain on their website: “Though no two Google offices are the same, visitors to any office can expect to find a few common features: murals and decorations expressing local personality; Googlers sharing cubes, yurts and "huddles"; video games, pool tables and pianos; cafes and "micro-kitchens" stocked with healthy food; and good old fashioned whiteboards for spur-of-the-moment brainstorming.” Hats off to whoever designed this “huddle!”